Mets notes: Changes coming at cleanup, closer?

One day after the trade that sent first baseman Ike Davis to Pittsburgh, manager Terry Collins suggested the team might do some more tweaking.

Not so much with the roster, but perhaps with players’ roles.

There were lots of subplots in the Mets’ 7-5 loss to Atlanta on Saturday night, including the continued slumps of fill-in closer Jose Valverde and cleanup hitter Curtis Granderson. Valverde allowed a three-run homer to Justin Upton in the ninth inning, and has permitted four home runs in his past three appearances.

Granderson went 0-for-5, including a ninth-inning strikeout, and is hitting .140 in 57 at-bats with a whopping 19 strikeouts.

Granderson again insisted he’s not worried. He said, "They say baseball’a game of inches, and that’s where I’m at right now," meaning that he is failing to hit the ball with the sweet spot.

He also said he doesn’t feel any extra pressure batting fourth. But Collins said, "we might have to do something to get him out of that spot" and move him to a different place in the batting order.

Valverde has been the closer in the absence of Bobby Parnell, out for the season with an elbow injury. Collins said he would address Valverde’s role today.

Briefs

Center fielder Chris Young, who had been 0-for-5 as a Met, went 3-for-5 with two RBI. … Veteran lefty John Lannan has accepted his demotion and will report to Class AAA Las Vegas. Lannan, who was outrighted Wednesday, had the option to be released so that he could become a free agent. … Collins indicated righty Jenrry Mejia’s bullpen session went well Saturday. His finger is fine and he is scheduled to start Monday against St. Louis. … The Mets had a representative at Thursday’s showcase for unemployed closer Joel Hanrahan, but a source indicated there is "nothing brewing."